Shoe positioning and clamping means



Oct. 11, 1949. T. B. CLARKE ET AL 2,434,974

SHOEPOSITIONING AND CLAMPING MEANS 4 Sheets--Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1946 Thomas '5. Clarke William ABar/rer Oct. 11, 1949. T. B. CLARKE ET AL 2,484,074

SHOE POSITIONING AND CLAMPING MEANS Filed July 2, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventors A Thomas 5. Clarke William A. Bar/(er zhir Attorney Get. 11, 1949. T. B. CLARKE ET AL SHOE POSITIONING AND CLAMPING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 2, 1946 [n ZJEII'Z'OPS' Thom as 5. 67a rke William A Barker By IheirA Horn ey Patented Oct. 11, 1949 SHOE POSITIONING AND CLAMPING MEANS Thomas Baggott Clarke and William Arthur Barker, Leicester, England, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application July 2, 1946, Serial No. 680,970 In Great Britain August 14, 1945 11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in heel attaching machines and is illustrated herein as embodied in a heel positioning and clamping device which may be advantageously used in the above or other machines for operating upon the heel ends of shoes.

Preparatory to attaching heels by outside nailing to shoes mounted upon lasts it is common practice to position, in register, a heel upon a nailing block and a shoe mounted upon a jack post, the jack post thereafter being moved to ward the heel block and/ or the heel block being moved toward the jack post to cause the heel and the shoe to be forced against each other with considerable pressure. The heel ends of shoes ar commonly positioned in heel attaching machines by crease plates or finders. It has been found, however, that whenever such plates are relied upon to prevent lateral tilting movement of the last, and accordingly the shoe, upon the jack post spindle during the heel nailing operation, there is a tendency for the crease plates to be forced too far into the rand crease of the shoe.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for quickly and effectively positioning and clamping shoes in heel attaching machines.

With the above object in View there is provided, in accordance with a feature of the present invention, in combination with crease plates for positioning the heel end of a shoe in a machine, clamps or blocks yieldingly movable with equalized primary pressure against opposite sides of the counter portion of the shoe in response to positioning movement of the shoe, and yieldable power operated mechanism for applying equalized secondary pressure against the blocks. In the use of the illustrative device the shoe, positioned heightwise by crease plates mounted for equal and opposite movement laterally of the shoe, is moved rearward against a fixed back gage or stop, a yieldable crease plate which cooperates with the above mentioned crease plates in positioning the shoe heightwise entering the rand crease at the rear end of the shoe before the shoe engages the back gage. The rear end of the counter portion of the shoe during its positioning movement engages and moves rearward with it a forked slide which is operatively connected, through suitable yieldable pressure equalizing mechanism, to the blocks causing said blocks to be forced with primary pressure against opposite sides of the shoe counter. The blocks are frictionally held against movement upon carriers therefor but are permitted to slide, to a limited extent, lengthwise of the shoe. being positioned, said blocks also being permitted to rock simultaneouly about shifting axes extending generally heightwise and lengthwise respectively of said shoe, the construction and arrangement being such that the blocks orient themselves to the contour of the shoe counter as the shoe is positioned in the device. After positioning the shoe and initially clamping it as above described, yieldable mechanism operated by power of the machine and constructed and arranged to apply equalized force against the blocks forces said blocks with secondary pressure against the shoe counter to hold the shoe against lateral tilting moving during the heel nailing operation.

The above and various other features of the invention will be understood and appreciated from the following detailed description read in connec tion with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the illustrative positioning and clamping device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away and partly in section on line IIII of Fig. 1, of the device;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the illustrative device on line IIIIII of Fig. 1 and shows portions of nail inserting mechanism and a shoe which is positioned in the machine ready to have its heel attached;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view, partly broken away, of one of a pair of crease plates of the machine and supporting mechanism therefor;

Fig. 5 shows in perspective one of a pair of shoe clamps of the device;

Fig. 6 is a section on line VIVI of Fig. 3 showing in plan mechanism through which the clamps are forced with secondary pressure against the shoe;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a slidable fork for centralizing the rear end of the shoe in the machine;

Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical and horizontal sections of the clamps on line VIIIVIII of Fig. 2 and on line IXIX of Fig. 5 respectively;

Fig. 10 is a plan view showing portions of mechanism for causing inward movement of the clamps in response to rearward movement of the fork shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a section on line XI-XI of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 shows in side elevation a portion of the machine for operating the clamps by power.

The illustrative shoe positioning and clamping device, which may be used advantageously in various types of heel attaching machines or in other machines for operating upon the heel ends mechanism which will be hereinafter described,

the jack post 26, together with the shoe 20,. is moved vertically toward a heel 28, r'aositioned upon a nail block 30, with the result that the heel-seatportion 32 of the shoe is forced with) considerable presure against the cup or attaching face 35 of the heel. Thereafter, nails 36, positioned in passages 38 of the nail block 30, are driven by drivers 49 through the heel 28 and the heel-seat portion 32 of the shoe, the po'intends of the nails being clenched by a steel heel-plate lz of thelast.

1t is-desirable that a rand crease 34 of the shoe 28 being positioned in the machine and moved toward the nail block 30 shall be parallel to" the rim of the cup 34 of the heelon the nailblock 30,

and-accordingly, the illustrative device comprisescrease plates or finders 46 (Figs..1, 2, 3, and l), 28 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7) which engage inthe rand crease 34 at opposite sides and the rear end of the shoe, respectively, as the shoe is presented to the device. The crease plates 46, in combination with a bifurcated slide or fork 50, which is yieldingly movable rearward under pressure of the shoe, serve to positionthe shoe Widthwise as it is moved rearward into engagement with a fixed back gage or stop 52 forming part of a carrier block 53. The slide as and the crease plates 46 may be described as constituting a centralizing gage. As will be explained later, the bifurcated slide is yieldingly connected to a pair of clamps56 which,-as the shoe is being positioned in the machine, swing in from oppositesides of theshoe 20 under pressure of the shoe against the slide, said clamps orientingthemselves into proper relation with the shoe, and, upon actuation of a treadle (notshown) of the machine, being forced under powerful spring pressure against the shoe to insure against the shoe tilting or rocking laterally upon the spindle 2c of the'jack post 26.

The crease plates-46, as will be explained later, are initially set to engage inthe rand crease of the shoe, anda're moved apart against spring pressure by said rand crease as theshoe is moved rearward; Each of the crease plates 46 is" mounted upon a pivot pin 58 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) threaded into a holder 6 having a slot 62' of suitable shape to receive the forward end of an elongated arm or carrier E i (Figs. 1 to 4 and 10) 64a (Figs. 1, 2, and 10) the holders 60 being initially set in different adjusted positions upon their associated arms by screws 66 threaded into the holders, the settings of the holders upon the arms being such that when the shoe 2!] is positioned in the device, the crease plates 4'. will engage in portions of the rand crease in the vicinity of the heel-breast line of the shoe. The arms 64, 64a together with their associated holders 60' may be defined as carriers for the crease plates 46. Each of the crease plates 65 is normally forced against a shoulder 68' (Fig. i) of its associated holder 60 by a spring 10, opposite ends of which are housed in recessesof the holder and the crease plate, the construction and arrangement being such that the crease plates can, within limits, swing about their pins 58; the

Iii

4 axes of which may be said to extend heightwise of the shoe and to be arranged adjacent to shoe-engaging portions of the plates, in order effectively to follow in the rand crease 34 of the shoe as the shoe is positioned in the device. The arm Ga is formed integral with a vertical stem 12 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) and the arm 64isiformed integral with a sleeve lit (Fig. 3) which is arranged in concentric relation with said stem and is rotatable in a bore it of a transversely adjustable slide 13 (Figs. 1 and'3'). The sleeve '15 is mounted for rotation in the slide 18, a collar 89, secured to the sleeve, be-

ing in engagement with the upper surface of the slide, and a lip 32 (Fig. 3) of the sleeve being in engagement with the lower face of the slide is. Mounted for rotation upon the sleeve 14, between the collar 59 and a collar 84 which is pinned to the upper end of the stem 72 and engages the top face of the'sleeve, is a boss 85 of a lever 83 corresponding to lever disclosed in said Letters Patent No. 2,259,568. The slide '58 is mounted in a transversely extending T-shaped-iguideway of a supporting member 52 WhiCh'lS provided with a forwardly and rearwardly extending dovetail guideway 94 (Fig. 1) in which fits a dovetail shelf 96 (Figs. 1 and 3) formed integral with aslidable.

bracket-93 (Figs. 2 and 3.) vertically movable upon a fixture mil, ball bearings [92 (Fig. 2) being interposed between the fixture and the bracket. The supportin member 92 is formed in part by a plate 9! (Figs-1 and 3) which is recessed at its centralporti'on'sand' is securedto? the. main body of said member by screws 93. construction the slidable bracket-98 may be raised or lowered to provide clearance for the presentationo'f the heel 2S and nail delivering mechanism.

(not shown) to the'ma'chine and" to facilitate the positioning ofthe shoe 29 inthe device.

Suitable mechanism, not described herein but disclosed in said. Lettersv Patent No. 2,259,568, is provided for initially setting t'he'supportin gmember 92-" in its proper, adjusted position on the shelf Stand for clamping it in said position to the shelf. Extending rearward from the boss 85 of the lever 88'is anarm E93 (Figs. 1 andS) pivotally connected to one end. of a. link I 06, theother end of which is fulcrumed upon a stud IQB- (Fig. l)- secured to the supporting member 92. Rotation of the lever 88 upon the sleeve M will cause transverse movement of the slide F8 in the guideway of the supporting member 92. The slide 18 may be held against movement in the guideway Bil-of the supporting member 92 by a pair of screws H38 (Fig.1)- threaded into the lever 8-8 and forced against abutments H 6 (only one shown) formed integral with the supporting member 92. It Will also be noted that, if desirableflateral shifting of the slide it to accommodate right and left shoes may be permittedif the screws Hi3 are so adjusted that the lever 88 C211 be rotated Within limits determined by said screws. The: mecha nism described in this-paragraph is substantially identical with mechanism disclosed in said Letters- Patent 2,259,568, whichmay be referred to for a description of 'the constructicn and operationof the machine as a whole.

Secured by screws I 82 (Figs. 1 and 3) to the slide it is the above-mentioned carrier block 5-; (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and '7) and a: bracket H4 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) having at its right end a boss I E 6 (Fig. l) bored toreceive a pin H8 (Figs. 1 and 2) upon which a multi-armlever 1 2d is pivoted.

S'Wiveled inthe lever l td'i's a pin 5E2 carrying a guide i2 'l provided with a bore through which passes an elongated rod 1'26" having its inner end In the illustrative threaded into a block I28 pivotally mounted upon a pin I36 carried by the slide I8. Fixed to the rod I26 is a collar I32 (Fig. 2) which is held against the guide I24 by a spring I34 (Figs. 1 and 2), opposite ends of which engage the guide and a knurled head E36 of the rod. Pivotally connected to an inwardly extending arm 438 (Fig. 2) of the lever I28 is a link Hill, the forward end of which is pivotally connected to the arm 64a.

It will be noted that the arms 84, 64a comprise several parts, forward portions I 12, lZa (Figs. 1 and 2) of the arms being initially set in adjusted relation to two plate rear portions I44 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 544a (Figs. 1, 2 and 10) of said arms, the upper plates of said rear portions being formed integral with the sleeve 14 and stem I2 respectively. The crease plates together with their supporting mechanism may be referred to as crease plate or finder assemblies. When the rod I26 is adjusted by screwing it into and out of the block l28, the lever Ififi is swung, by the action of the spring i345, about the pin H8, with the result that the arm 65a is adjusted toward or away from a central plane M6 (Figs. 1, 2 and 16)) of the device. In order to cause movement of the arm 56a with relation to the central plane I to effect equal and opposite movement of the arm 65 with relation to said plane, there is provided a rod V33 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) opposite ends of which are pivoted to the lever H8 and to the rear end of a T-shaped lever I (Figs. 1 and 2) fulcrumed upon a pin I52 carried by the left end of the bracket I It. Also pivotally connected to the T-shaped lever I55 is a link I55, the forward end of which is pivotally connected to a lug E55 secured by screws I58 (Fig. 2) to the rear part Hi l of the arm 63. When the threaded rod iZt is rotated, the arms 64, Ma move equal distances in opposite directions with relation to the central plane M6.

The clamps 56, which are forced against the counter portion of the shoe 26 mounted upon the last 22 to hold it against tilting laterally on the last plate spindle during the heel nailing operation, are indirectly mounted upon a pair of arms EEG (Figs. 3. and 2) secured to rocker pins I62 (Figs. 2, 3 and lil), IfiZa (Figs. 2 and 10), carried by the upper plates of the rear portions I44, Idea of the arms 62, 52a respectively. Each of the clamps comprises a felt pad ltd secured to and forming part of a block IE8 provided with a cylindrical passage 568 (Figs. 8 and 9) which has a radius of curvature 553 and which has an opening llil (Figs. 5 and 8) at one of its sides. Engaging in the cylindrical passage I68 is a barrel-shaped portion or support I32 (Figs. 8 and 9) of a bracket I'I l (Figs. 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9) to which is secured a vertically disposed threaded stud I16 extending through an elongated slot I18 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) of a corresponding arm I and held secured to such arm by a thumb nut I89, the arm having in its bottom face a slot Q82 (Figs.

1 and 5) in which a rib I8 3 (Figs. 8 and 9) of the bracket engages to insure against turning of the bracket on the arm. The maximum radius of curvature I35 of the barrel-shaped support or portion il2 which is curved in longitudinal section is substantially the same as the radius of curvature I59 of the cylindrical passage I68, the construction and arrangement being such that the block I63 slidingly fits on said support.

Rigidly secured to the bracket I! by a screw I86 is a washer I88, which engages the forward face of the block I66, and yieldingly forced against the rear face of the block is a washer I98 which is backed up by a spring I92 (Figs. 2, 3 and 9) held in operative position upon the bracket by a screw I9 i threaded into said bracket. With the above construction the block ItE is frictionally held against movement with relation to the bracket I'M, but is permitted to slide to a limited extent lengthwise of the shoe being positioned and also to rock simultaneously about shifting axes extending generally heightwise and lengthwise in order properly to orient itself to the counter portion of the shoe with which it engages. The blocks together with mechanism upon which they are supported may be referred to as clamping assemblies.

Secured by screws I58 (Figs. 1 and 2) to each of the arms iiit is a ratchet plate Hi8 having teeth 22]!) constructed and arranged to be engaged by a tooth m2 (Fig. 2) of a pawl Zilli which is pivoted upon links 285 fulcrumed upon a pin 288 (Fig. 1) carried by a corresponding arm 54, Gila. A tension spring 2563, front and rear ends of which are connected to studs respectively secured to the pawl 26 3 and to the corresponding arm M, Ma, constantly urges the tooth 252 of the pawl 23 toward the ratchet teeth 2%. Each of the pawls 2M has a rounded outer end arranged to be engaged by a hook-shaped forward end 252 (Figs. 1 and 2) of a bar 2M which is pivotally connected at its rear end to a lever 2H5 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) fulcrumed upon a corresponding rocker pin IE2, it2a, each of the bars being constantly urged rearward by a spring 258 (Fig. 2), opposite ends of which are fixed to studs respectively carried by the bar and the corresponding arm 64, 6411.

Each of the bars 224 has a wedge portion 2%, (Figs. 1 and 2) opposite sides of which are arranged to engage respectively the outer end of the pawl 2G4 and a roll 222 which is rotatably mounted upon the fulcrum pin i I8 or the fulcrum pin I52. As the bars 2M are moved forward, against the action of the springs Bit, by mechanism which will hereinafter be described, the

hook-shaped forward end 2 l 2 of each of the bars moves away from the outer end of the associated pawl 28 with the result that the tooth 2632 of the pawl is moved by its spring 2 iii into engagement with one of the ratchet teeth 2%. Continued forward movement of the bars ti t causes the pawls 2134 to be deflected inward by the bars 2 it acted upon by the rolls 222, to force the arms I60 inward, thereby forcing the blocks I56 against opposite sides of the counter portion of the shoe.

Secured to the lower end of each of the rocker pins itz, I'52a is a lug 2% (Figs. 2, 3, l0 and 11) to which is pivotally connected the forward end of a rod 226 having a threaded outer surface 228 (Fig. 11) on which is screwed a forward portion of a coil spring 2353. The rear portion of each of the springs 12% is screwed onto a threaded outer surface of a rod 232, which is pivotally connected to a rocker 23 i fulcrumed on a stud 235 secured to the rear end of the bifurcated slide 50 which is mounted for forward and rearward movement on the block 5G and is constantly urged forward to its idle position shown in Fig. 10 by tension springs 233 having their forward and rearward ends fixed to a rod 2% secured to the block and to a bar 242 secured to the rear end of the slide.

The levers EH6 are provided with faces 2% (Fig. 6) constructed and arranged to be engaged by vertically offset projections of an equalizer bar 246 (Figs. 3 and 6) slidably mounted on a flat upper surface-of the carrier h1DQk}..54': and; pivotally connected at. its'center tothe forward;

endofi a'link 248, the rear end of 1 l Q :ispiy tally onn ct d t a low r a mlfi'fl (Fi s-2,3 a d 6) oranofifset bell-crank lever 25.21, (Figs. 2 and;

block 258 which has a bore for receiving, and; is adjustablysecured to, atransversely extending rod; 260 (Figs. 2, 3 and 6). The rodalso passes through a bore in, and is adjustably secured-to,

a block 262 pivotally connected through a pin 25%, secured to the block, with an upper arm 286 of an offset bell-crank lever 268, secured to a fulcrum pin i-l'hrotatably mounted inthe vertically slidable bracket 98-. The fulcrumpin 210 also has secured to'it a lower arm 212 which is operatively'connected to the forward end of a rod. 231: pivotally connected at its rear end to a bell-crank lever (not shown), corresponding to the bell crank lever l5? disclosed insaid Letters Patent,.the rod being moved rearward bya powerful spring-125i (Fig. 12), upon operating a tree" dle- 253; to cause the clamps 55. to be forced with considerable secondary pressure against the shoe'iil. When the powerful spring 25! which operates the rod 2'34 is compressed. at the end of the. heel-nailing operation, the rod is moved forward, causing, through the mechanism above de-- scribed, the tooth 2321 of each of the pawls 204 to swing away from the teeth of an associated'ratchet plate 593. The treadle 253 is operatively connected to a latch plate 255- to free upon. depression of said treadle, a bell crank lever for counterclockwise movementas-viewed in Fig; 12 under the action of a spring 25!, thereby moving the rod 216 rearward and accordingly in! dependently forcing the clamps 5fi-with substantial yielding pressure against the counter portion of the shoe. Continued depression of the treadle 253. is efiective to trip a one-revolution clutch 2-5.9 to cause the machinet'o move through itsv first power cycle. Near the endof asecond power cycle of the machine during which a top lift is attached to the heel, a cam actuated clutch throw-out lever 285 actuates latch mechanismzfiii which-cooperates with other mechanism disclosed indetail in the Kestell et al. Patent 2,259,568. to render effective the latch plate 255 causing recompression of thespring 25! and-the opening of the clamps 5%.

As. a shoe 25-, positioned, heightwisa. as above explainedby the crease plates 46, is moved rearward, it. engages the bifurcated slide itu Asthe slide acted upon by the shoe moves rearward, it moves with it the rocker 23A and through the coil springs 238, the front and rear ends: of. which aresecured to rods 22S and 232 respectively piv-v oted to the lugs 22 3- of the pins [-62, HiZa and to the rocker 2-34, swings the arms L81} which are secured to-the pins inward until theblocks lEfiare forced with primary pressure against the opposite sides of the counter portion of the shoe; Cone tinued rearward movement of the shoe 29: and the bifurcated slide 59 causes the clamps 56 to be forced with yielding equalized pressure against the shoe, the blocks shifting upon the barrelshaped portions H2 of the brackets I'M in the manner above described, under. the actionof. the shoe, to orient themselves to the shoe. At approximately the same time that the shoe engages the bifurcated slide therear end, of its rand crease 44 engages the rear crease plate 48- which is mounted. for sliding. movement against the 8t action of a: sprin 2.30., (Fiat 3:): a; euid W- r of the: carrier block. 55, saidplate cooperating. With: the crease plates-46 in-pos-itioning the. shoe h htw se. Asth a ms r ed nwen by the shoebeing positioned inathe machinathe teeth 299. on. the ratchet-plates 19B carried said arms are :movedwitl'r relation .to the opposing; teeth 262. of? the: pay/15,284..

At the beginning: of the; power cycle of they machine, after actuating the above mentionedi treadle (not shown), the rod 214 is-moved rearward by powerful springpressure,theequalizing banZdt engaging the. levers 2-! 6. and thus: causing. the barsZHl: tdmoveforward against the action of theesprings 2-48. During: the first part'of; the:

forward: movement of the bars 21.13 the teeth 202: or the associated pawls 2M.- move, under the: act-lorrof the springs. 2 lfi,.into= engagement with. the teeth Z-flfliof opposing ratchet p1a-tes:.l.93', con-.-- tinuediforward'movement. of the bars 21!!- causing; the wedged portions 229 of said bars, backed up by the rolls 222-; to: bear against the outer end: portions of the pawls- 2.814, with the result that the blocks Hid-are forced with considerable-secs ondary pressure against theshoe 29. As the shoe: is being positioned and initially clamped. in the device, the equalizing bar Zdfimazyrock upon the link Eiiesothat-one block: I65 may, if necessary, move further inward: than the other to: equalize pressureagainst lopposite'sides of the shoe; After the attachment of the heel to the shoe the machinecomes to'rest, the-rod 274 being moved forward during the last part of the cycle of operation of the machine to release the clamps 5E? preparatory to the manual removal of the shoe from the machine.

Having thus described our'invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Ina heel attaching'machine; means for positioning a shoe mounted upon a last, said means comprising acentralizing gage movable under pressure of the shoe being positioned, clamps for engaging opposite sides of the'counterportion of .ie shoe, means responsive tomovement of said centralizing gage for moving said clamps with equalized primary pressure against the shoe, and power-operated means for moving said clamps with equalized secondary pressure against the shoe.

2. In a heel attaching machine, a device for positioning and clamping a shoe, said device-comprising apair of arms yieldingly'movable toward opposite sides of said shoe, crease plates which are superted= by said arms and are constructed and arranged to enter the rand crease of the shoe, said crease plates being yieldably mounted for movement with relationto their associated arms about axes disposed he'ightwiseof the shoe, and members which are movable toward and away from each other and have barrel shaped portions respectively, and clamps which have cylindrical recesses for receiving said barrel shaped portions and are adapted to rock upon said barrel shaped portions lengthwise and widthwise of the: shoe being positioned.

3. In a heel attaching machine, means forpositioning a shoe, Clamps movable independently of one another with equalized primary pressure against opposite sides of the shoe in response to movement of said means, and power-operated mechanism for forcing. the clamps independently against the. shoe with yielding equalized secondary pressure.

4. In a heel attaching machine, a device for positioning and clamping a shoe mounted upon a last, said device comprising a centralizing slide movable in response to lengthwise movement of the shoe being positioned, a pair of arms movable toward and away from opposite sides of the shoe, clamps carried by the arms, an equalizer bar pivoted at its center to the slide, a pair of yieldable connections opposite ends of which are fastened to the arms and to opposite ends respectively of said bar, said clamps operative by said bar, said yieldable connections and said arms being moved with equalized primary pressure against the shoe in response to movement of the slide moved by the shoe, and power-operated means movable with yielding equalizing pressure against the arms for forcing the clamps then in engagement with the shoe with secondary pressure against said shoe.

5. In a heel attaching machine, a pair of arms yieldingly movable toward each other, plates carried by the arms and constructed and arranged to follow in the rand crease of a rearwardly moved shoe, a crease plate constructed and arranged to enter the rand crease at the rear end of the shoe and in cooperation with said crease plates to position the shoe heightwise, clamps pivotally mounted upon said arms respectively for movement toward and away from the opposite sides of the shoe, a bifurcated slide constructed and arranged to be engaged by the rear end of the shoe, mechanism movable in response to movement of the slide actuated by pressure of the shoe for forcing the clamps yieldingly and with equalized primary pressure against opposite sides of the shoe, 3, back stop for limiting lengthwise movement of the shoe to position the shoe lengthwise, and power-actuated means for forcing the clamps in engagement with the shoe with secondary pressure against opposite sides of the shoe.

6. In a machine for operating upon the heel ends of shoes, a pair of crease plates yieldingly urged toward each other and constructed and arranged to enter the rand crease of a shoe at its opposite sides, a bifurcated slide constructed and arranged to be engaged by the counter portion of the shoe to cooperate with said plates to position the shoe laterally, a pair of clamps constructed and arranged to engage the opposite sides of the counter portion of the shoe in the vicinity of its heel breast line, yieldable operative connections between the bifurcated slide and the clamps for causing said clamps to be forced with primary pressure against the shoe in response r to rearward movement of said slide, a back stop for limiting rearward movement of the shoe to position said shoe lengthwise, a yieldable crease plate constructed and arranged to enter the rand crease at the rear end of the shoe as the shoe is moved toward the back stop, and power-operated means for forcing the clamps with yielding secondary pressure against the shoe thus positioned and clamped.

'7. In a heel attaching machine, a pair of carriers yieldingly movable equal distances toward and away from a central plane. pair of crease finders mounted upon the respective carriers, arms pivotally mounted upon carriers. clamps mounted upon the arms respectively, means responsive to movement of a shoe being positioned for moving the clamps yieldingly with. equalized initial pressure against opposite sides of the counter portion of the shoe, a ratchet secured to each of said arms, a link pivotally mounted upon each of the carriers, a pawl pivotally mounted upon each of the links, and power-actuated yieldable means for causing the pawls to move into driving engagement with associated ratchets and then to cause the pawls operating through said ratchets to move the clamps with equalized secondary pressure against the shoe.

8. In a machine for operating upon shoes, means for positioning a shoe which is mounted upon a last lengthwise and widthwise in the machine, a pair of blocks, and mechanism movable in response to lengthwise movement of the shoe being positioned for yieldingly forcing the blocks against opposite sides of the counter portion of the shoe, said mechanism comprising barrelshaped supports, each of said blocks having a cylindrical passage which has a radius of curvature substantially the same as the maximum radius of curvature of an associated barrelshaped support so as to enable the block to slide on the barrel, and means for frictionally holding each of the blocks on an associated support, said means being yieldable under pressure exerted by the shoe against the block to enable the block to slide generally lengthwise and circumferentially of the barrel-shaped support as the shoe is positioned in the machine to enable the blocks to orient themselves to the shoe.

9. In a machine for operating upon a shoe mounted upon a last, means for positioning the shoe lengthwise and widthwise, and a pair of clamps constructed and arranged to be forced against opposite sides of the shoe as the shoe is positioned in the machine, each of said clamps comprising a barrel-shaped support, a shoe engaging block having a cylindrical passage which has a radius of curvature substantially the same as the maximum radius of curvature of thebarrelshaped support and in which an associated barrel-shaped support is positioned so as to enable the block to slide on the barrel, and a springpressed plate carried by the support and constructed and arranged to hold the block frictionally with relation to the support, said plate being constructed and arranged to yield under pressure of the block to enable said block to slide to a limited extent lengthwise of the barrelshaped support and also to rock simultaneously therewith generall lengthwise and circumferentially of the support to facilitate orientation of the block to the shoe.

10. In a heel attaching machine, a device for positioning and clamping a shoe mounted upon a last, said device comprising a pair of members yieldingly movable inward toward opposite sides of the shoe, crease plates constructed and arranged to engage in the rand crease of the shoe at its opposite sides, said plates being mounted for pivotal movement upon said members about axes respectively extending generally heightwise of the shoe and arranged adjacent to shoe engaging portions of the plates, a yieldable crease plate constructed and arranged to enter the rand crease at the rear end of the shoe and to cooperate with said first-named crease plates to position the shoe heightwise, a yieldable bifurcated gage cooperating with the first-named crease plates to position the shoe lengthwise, a back gage for positioning the shoe lengthwise, and clamps for holding the positioned shoe against movement.

11. In a heel attaching machine, means compri ing a slidable centralizing fork and a pair of crease finder assemblies for positioning a shoe 12,48Ag0724 2m rmqunted upon :a .:1a,st,;a pairrof-clamping assemtblie'gpivntallymountednmsaid crease finder asrfiemblies,rmechanismlioriercing the clamping as- :semblies :against :opposite :sides of the "shoe with gyielding 'equalizejd primanypressure .in response .to :movement of saideentralizing fork, :ratchets carried by the clamping assemblies, pawls carried. by ,the crease findenassemblies, -yieldable powerz'aetuated mechanism, :and means -responsive to .movement ofgsaid power-actuated:mechanism for 111) 'bliesctio vbe forced with secondary pressurem gainst opposite sides 0f the shoe.

- THOMAS l BAGGOTT CLARKE. WILLIAM ARTHUR BARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The afollowingreferences :are of record in the rfilexo'f this patent:

UNTTED STATES PATENTS swinging the paw/1s -into operative engagement Number Name Date rwithassociated-ratchetsmnd=f0r thereafter mov- 1,545,575 Handish July 14, 1925 mg saidratchets tecause the clamping assem- 2,050,312 Grewcock Aug. 11,1936

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,48 ,074 October 11, 1949 THOMAS BAGGOTT CLARKE ET AL.

It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, line 14, for the word moving read movement; column 8, line 69, after clamps insert yieldingly;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of May, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'esz'oner of Patents. 

